Building tile package



Jan. 22, 1957 G. W. SHOEMAKER BUILDING TILE PACKAGE Filed Oct. 20, 19 53 flITOK/YEK I nited States Patent BUILDING TILE PACKAGE George W. Shoemaker, Brazil, Ind., assignor to Arketex Ceramic Corporation, Brazil, Ind., a corporation Application October 20, 1953, Serial No. 387,165

1 Claim. (Cl. 206--65) This invention relates generally to a method of and apparatus for packaging manufactured goods, and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for packaging building tile for dry wall construction.

It is conventional practice to package building materials, such as colored tile for dry wallconstruction, in large cartons with a layer of protective paper between the colored surfaces of the tiles. This protects the colored surfaces of the tiles during shipment; but when the packages arrive at the site of the construction job, they are usually unpacked and all protective materials are removed. This exposes the colored or finished surfaces of the tile to damage from rough handling or falling objects, or other activities usually connected with a building operation.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide the method of and apparatus for packaging and protecting building tiles or similar goods from the time they leave the manufacturer's premises to the time that they are actually used and laid as a part of the finished building structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a package of building tile or similar manufactured goods adapted to protect the finished surface of the goods until such time as they are used.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a protective covering for building tile or similar type of manufactured goods which has such structural characteristics that it clings to a tile until forcibly removed therefrom.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a method of and apparatus for packaging building tile which comprises covering the finished surface of each tile with a self-adhering cover, assembling a small number of such tiles into a small package with said covers in abutment with one another, and strapping said tiles into a unitary package.

In accordance with another feature of this invention there is provided a self-adhering cover for building tile comprising a sheet of cardboard or similar paper product folded in such a manner as to provide edge portions which may be unfolded into adhering or clinging relation to the edges of a tile.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claim:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the protective package provided in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a protective cover in semi-unfolded position and used to cover each tile illus trated in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, this invention comprises a method of and apparatus for packaging building tile which consists of assembling four tile into a rectangular package, such as that shown in Fig. l, with a metallic strap 11 extending around the four tiles and binding them into a unitary package.

Each tile 10 is provided with a cardboard cover 12 2 V which covers its finished or colored face, thereby to prevent scratching or marring thereof. The covers 12'abut one another, whereby any relative movement of the tiles 10 within the package causes relative movement between the covers 12 instead of between a finished face of tile and another face of an adjacent tile thereby to prevent any marring or scratching.

A cover 12 comprises a sheet of cardboard 14 scored at 15 and foldedto provide end members 16 having tabs 17. The sheet 14 also is scored at 18 and folded to provide side flaps 19. The side members 19 may be provided with a strip of perforations 20 diagonally of the outer corners thereof, whereby the corner portions 21 may be folded over on the diagonal line of perforations and glued to the end tabs 17.

When the covers 12 are manufactured and shipped to I the user, they may be folded so that the end members 16 and the side members 19 lie flat on the sheet 14 with the end tabs 17 folded under the end portions 16 and over the side portions 19, the corners 21 of members 19 being folded over members 19 on the diagonal line of perforations 20. During shipment in this folded condition, the folds between the end member 16, the side member 19 and the main body of sheet 14, tend to be come permanent so that when the end members 16, for example, are folded outwardly from the main'body portion 14, end members 16 and side members 19 assume a natural position such as that shown in Fig. 2.

When the cover 12 is put onto the finished face of the tile 1b, the end members 16 and side members 19 are unfolded beyond the position illustrated in Fig. 2 and naturally tend to fold inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby end members 16 and side members 19 grip the side surfaces of the tiles 10.

in actual use the tile manufacturer initially places the covers 12 on each tile 10 covering its finished or colored surface. The tiles 10 are then assembled into groups of four and bound into package by means of metallic strap 11, as shown in Fig. l, with the covers 12 abutting one another. This package may then be packed in a large carton holding 1, 2, 3 or more dozen packages and the carton of packages may be shipped to a contractor on a construction job.

Assuming, for example, that a mason is working on the second floor of a building, the cartons of tile may be unpacked on the ground outside the building, but even though unpacked the finished or colored surfaces are protected by covers 12, and the tiles are held in a protective package by strap 11. A hod carrier may collect a number of packages and carry them to the mason on the second floor where he is working in the actual placing of tile. The mason may then break the strap 1 11, thereby to open each individual package of tile.

ping action causing it to adhere to the protected face of the tile, even though that tile may be thrown, pushed or otherwise mishandled. Thus, as the mason. picks up each individual tile, he may forcibly remove cover 12 just at the time at which he intends to place a tile in permanent position as a part of a wall structure.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there is provided in accordance with this invention a method of and apparatus for packaging building tile characterized in that it provides constant protection of the finished or colored surface of the tile from the time that it leaves the manufacturers plant until the mason is ready to place the tile in its actual position as a part of a finished wall.

The preferred modification of this invention has been illustrated as comprising a package of four individual tiles, but for shipping purposes and ease of handling it is Patented Jan. 22, 1957 recognized that it may be desirable to form tile packages having two or three tiles bound together therein, or in some cases more than four tiles. The choice of numbers depends on the shipping and handling requirements of a particular job.

'The invention claimed is:

A package of glazed building tile comprising a pair of units, each unit including a tile and a protective cover engaging and covering the glazed face thereof, each cover comprising a panel of substantially the same area as the glazed face to be protected, end and side panels integral With the end and side edges of said protective panel and hinged to the side and end edges thereof to snugly ernbrace portions of the sides and ends of said tiles, said pair of units being assembled and bound together with 15 said protective covers in face to face engagement with one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,596,514 Anderson Aug. 17, 1926 1,849,330 Moore Mar. 15, 1932 2,115,977 Lowenfels May 3, 1938 2,214,997 Guyer Sept. 17, 1940 2,243,825 Holtkamp May 27, 1941 2,291,645 Nordquist Aug. 4, 1942 2,295,515 Hoag Sept. 8, 1942 2,334,902 Buttery Nov. 23, 1943 2,521,403 Overland Sept. 5, 1950 

